Convertible table and seat



Feb. 23, 1960 J. awslss 2,925,851

CONVERTIBLE TABLE AND SEAT Filed Jan. 50, 1959 l INVENTOR JACK B. WEISS.

. EXAM-K FIG 4 ATMRIVEY United States Patent f CONVERTIBLE TABLEAND SEAT Jack B. Weiss, Brooklyn, 15w. n Application January 30, 1959, Serial No. 190,094 lClaim. 01. 155-43 This invention relates to convertible articles. of furniture, and is particularly directed to seat and table strucvertible article of furniture ofthetype above mentioned struction that is adapted for coactive use with one'or more similar devices whereby an enlarged unitary structure is eifected.

And it is my further objective to provide a simply constructed and relatively inexpensive device having the features above mentioned.

Other objects, features and advantages will appear from the drawings and the description hereinafter given.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the three components of one form of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device of Fig. 1 with the said components in assembled relation in the form of a padded seat, a portion being broken away for clarity.

Fig. 3 is a section of Fig. 2 taken along line 33.

Fig. 4 is a section substantially like Fig. 3, but showing only two components in assembled relation in the form of a hard bench or low table.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of another form of my invention.

Fig. 6 is a section of Fig. 5 taken along line 66.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section of Fig. 5 taken along line 7--7.

In the form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, there are three main components, the base member generally designated 10, the intermediate supporting member 11, which is reversible in a manner to be hereinbelow described, and the upper supported member 12 shown as a cushion or pad.

The said base member '10 comprises the four upstandin-g peripheral walls 13, 14, 15 and 16, the legs 17 underlying and supporting the corner portions generally designated 18. Disposed within said base member at the lower portions of said peripheral walls are a plurality of inwardly extending shelf members, these comprising the corner shelves generally designated 19 and the oppositely disposed lateral shelves 20 and 21 secured to said respective peripheral walls 13 and 15. In the preferred form illustrated, the entire top of the member 10 is Such Varieties of furniture'pieces are costly 4 as a coflee table or the like. arrangement of the shelf members 19, 20 and 21 on the open, said open portion, generally designated 22 being defined by the top edges 23 of said peripheral walls; and the bottom is also open, said bottom open portiomgen- -erally designated 24, being defined by said shelf members 19,20 and 21, and the bottom edges of said peripheral walls disposed between said shelf members. t The said intermediate supporting member 11 comprise the peripheral walls 25, 26, 27' and 28, the upper free edges 29"('as shown in Figs. 1 to 3) defining the open portion generally designated 30, the opposite lower portions'of said last-mentioned peripheral walls having secured thereto the horizontal supporting wall generally and 16 of said base member, the said upper edges 23 and 29 of said respective sets of peripheral walls being "at the same level. ported cushion member '12 are such that this member can And the proportions of said supbe inserted into member 11 through said open portion 30 thereof, said peripheral walls 25, 26, 27 and 28 defining a'receptacle and serving as retaining means for said inember 12.

The arrangement is hence such that, due to the coactive relation of said components, the structure is readily convertible into different forms with a variety of uses, In the form "shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the device serves the function of a cushioned seat; and in the form shown in Fig. 4,the device serves either as a hard seat bench or Because of the location and baseine'niber 10, the intermediate member. 11 is firmly supported either in its position where it serves as a receptacle for the pad 12, or in its position where the horizontal wall 31 (comprising the slats 32) is in spaced relation with respect to the said shelf members and at the level of the upper edges 23 of the said peripheral walls. It is to be noted that because the wall 31 is level with the upper edges 23, as aforesaid, the device in this Position contains no obstructive elements that might interfere with its function as a hard bench or a table.

In the form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 5 to 7, an elongated base member 33 is employed, supported by the legs 34 and having peripheral walls 35, 36, 37 and 38. At the lower portions of said walls are the corner shelves 39a and 39b, and theopposite lateral shelves 40 and 41 secured to the peripheral walls 36 and 38, respectively. This base member is proportioned to accommodate along its length the supporting members 42, 43 and 44. Member 43 is like intermediate member 11 of the embodiment above described, and is shown operatively supporting the pad member 45, and is itself supported by the lateral shelves 40 and 41. Member 42 has the horizontal supporting wall 46 containing the apertured portion 47, said horizontal wall 46 supporting the marginal flange 48 of the pan 49, the body of which extends downwardly through said apertured portion 47 and the open portion at the bottom of base member 33. The said member 42 is supported by the corner shelves 39a and the lateral shelves 40 and 41. Member 44 has the horizontal wall 50, said member being supported by the corner shelves 39b and the lateral shelves 40 and 41, member 44 being shown positioned with the horizontal wall 50 spaced above said supporting shelves and positioned to serve either as a seat or table top. Said supporting members 42, 43 and 44 are proportioned for reversible nesting fits within the peripheral walls of the base 0 member 33, substantially in the manner of the form first above described. The peripheral walls, generally desigof such proportions that when operatively supported by.

the respective coacting shelves, the uppermost portions of said supporting members are at the level of the uppermost edges of the peripheral walls 35, 36, 37 and 38 of said base member.

' In both forms of the invention illustrated, the. conversion from one form to another-as well as the rearrangement of the supporting members on the base member of the embodiment of Figs. 5 to 7--ean be effected by simple manual manipulations requiring no special skill or manual dexterity. Once operatively positioned, the parts are firmly maintained in place, without the use-of i said peripheral walls and being in spaced relation to said upper edge. portions of said peripheral edge portions, said shelves and the portions of said peripheral walls therebetween defining an open bottom portion of said base any fastening means. Moreover, the components of the two forms of my invention illustrated are so arranged that the structure of Figs. 1 to 4 can readily be juxtaposed with respect to that of Figs. 5 to 7, so as to produce a unitary etfect--the manner of juxtaposition not requiring further elaboration since it can be eifeoted in accordance with ones individual taste.

In the above description, the invention has been disclosed merely by way of example and in preferred manner; but obviously may variations and modifications may be made therein. It is to be understood, therefore, th at the invention is not limited to any specific form or manner of practicing same, except insofar as such limitations are specified in the appended claim.

I claim:

In a convertible table and seat, a base member, an

member, and leg means in underlying supporting engagement with said base member; said supporting member comprising four peripheral walls having respective upper and lower edge portions defining the upper and lower limits of said supporting member, a supporting wall attached to said last-mentioned peripheral walls and in spaced relation to one of said edge pontions, thereby forming a recessed portion laterally defined by said latter peripheral walls, sa'id last-mentioned peripheral walls being proportioned for removable and reversible nesting positioning within said first-mentioned peripheral Walls of the base member, said shelves being proportioned and positioned for underlying supporting engagement with said supporting member when the latter is operatively disposed within saidbasenmember; and a pad member positioned within the recessed-portion of said intermediate supporting member and extending upwardly beyond the confines of the upper edge pontions of the peripheral walls of said base member. and said supporting member to define a cushioned seat, said. pad member being removable from said recessed portion of said supporting member when said supporting member is reversed and positioned in nesting engagement within said first -mentioned peripheral walls, the upper surface of said supporting wall in the reversed position thereofbeing at the same level as the upper edge portions of the peripheral walls of said base member to define a serving area.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Stockon Dec. 15, 1903 1,364,289 Lowe et *al. Ian. 4, 1921 2,490,649. Polis Dec. 6, 1949 Webb a Dec. 20, 1955 

